Report: Civil Administration Striving for New PA City

The Civil Administration for Judea and Samaria (Shomron) is working diligently on advanced plans for establishing a new Palestinian Authority city near Jericho, according to a Monday-morning report by the Ma'ariv daily. Nu'aimah, as the city stands to be called, is intended to house tens of thousands of residents. Israel will transfer close to 2,000 dunam (500 acres) of land from the Jordan Valley Regional Council to the PA for the ambitious project. The council reacted by calling it "the theater of the absurd," adding, "The government is freezing building for the Jews and giving the Palestinians a gift of state land."

The Civil Administration responded with the claim that the establishment of Nu'aimah will reduce the phenomenon of illegal construction by PA residents.